New England offers fairy-tale settings all year round for a picture-perfect wedding away. Check out some of our favorites.
By: Chloe BittonWhether you savor verdant green mountains or burnished country paths, snow-dusted pines ogolden sand beaches, New England has it all.In fact, so diverse is this fabled Northeast region, you’ll find breathtaking beauty in every season. Mix in stunning Colonial settings, fabulous local cuisine (did someone say lobster?) and top-notch service, and you’ve got the picture-perfect place to say “I do.”
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Lawfully Wedded Saying “I do” in Vermont and Massachusetts is fairly simple. All you need to do is obtain a wedding license before the ceremony. You must be 18 years or older, appear in person at a Town Clerk’s Office and present valid proof of residency (with a drivers license or utility bill). You must also be able to verbally state your own name and your mother s maiden name, as well as the birthplace of your parents. If applicable, divorce documents must be presented. |
The Great Outdoors
Set in the heart of the quaint town of Manchester Village, Vermont, is The Equinox, a Luxury Collection Golf Resort & Spa. This posh hideaway—actually a series of historic homes combined—is just minutes from the popular ski mountains of Bromley and Stratton. (Bonus: The town of Manchester Village is home to many designer outlet shops, including Coach and Burberry.) Every member of your group will be entertained from the moment they arrive at the storied property (the Lincoln family were guests here) and its expansive mountainside grounds. Spend the afternoon with an outing to the award-winning golf course ringed by stunning greenery (the course dates back to 1927 but received a $3.5 million makeover in 1992); go on an old-fashioned hawk hunt with the onsite British School of Falconry, or give it your best shot at The Archery School. You may also want to simply wander among the pines, maples and old-growth trees on the quiet hiking trails behind the hotel that wind their way to Equinox Lake.
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Or spend your time doing yoga and swimming in the indoor pool at the spa (the massages are great too). For the big-day bash itself, you can choose from a myriad of indoor and outdoor venues. There’s the classic Pond Pavilion, located at the base of Mount Equinox and the crystal chandelier-filled Colonnade Ballroom in the main building. For a smaller party, you might opt for an informal affair at the boathouse on the lake or outside by the beautiful gardens of the 1811 House. And thanks to an on-staff wedding concierge, no detail will be left undone—from being whisked away in a horse-drawn carriage to having a fine-dining tasting menu personalized just for you (facility rental rates start at $750 and include personal planning and wedding concierge services, as well as linen, table and chair rentals and valet parking for your guests; wedding menus start at $120 per person and include full bar; equinoxresort.com).
Seaside Extravaganza
Casual party or an elegant fete— Chatham Bars Inn, situated on the coast of ole Cape Cod, could be the perfect choice. The grand, sprawling property presides over the beach in Chatham,
Chatham Bars Inn |
Massachusetts, and includes several hydrangea-filled gardens, lush lawns, a Zen-like spa complex with a private pool, a beach-activities center and a number of restaurants. You may host your ceremony on any of the four lawns, each with a different feel and view. There’s one with a sweeping vista of the Atlantic Ocean and another with a more private vibe. Still another is situated right next to the beach. Invite guests for a formal meal in the Main Dining Room, or go all-out luxe with white-glove service in the Gilded Monomoy Ballroom, with uninterrupted ocean vistas. If you decide to swap vows and enjoy a traditional Cape Cod clambake at the Beachhouse Grill and Boathouse, tell your friends and family to bring their flip-flops to the casual oceanfront restaurant that opens onto the sand. And spend the night dancing under the stars. When the party’s over, you can retreat to an enormous spa suite, which features a fireplace, an in-room steam shower, sauna and oversize Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall, plus golf course views (facility rental rates start at $750; wedding packages start at $275 per person and include a cocktail hour, a three-course seated dinner, a wedding cake, a four-hour open bar and a champagne toast; chathambarsinn.com).
Simple Pleasures
Enjoy an elegant country-weekend escape with your guests at Riverside and Amee Farms in Pittsfield, Vermont, where untouched natural beauty reigns. These 300-plus pristine acres
Riverside Farms |
encompass lush meadows, towering pines and five restored and fully renovated barns. Protected by the picturesque Green Mountains, this self-contained private residence is the ideal retreat for those who’d love to break away from a traditional hall ceremony, yet still want to indulge in all the luxuries of a full-service estate. Customize your theme— anything from a barbecue hoedown to a sushi party—with onsite chefs, or feel free to bring in your own vendors. Ceremony and reception venues here range from a covered pine porch overlooking the pastures to an art gallery and a breezy barn set next to a wildflower garden. You can also opt to have a tented wedding celebration in one of the property’s many brilliantly green, open fields. Over the course of your wedding weekend, you can entertain guests with onsite events such as hot air balloon rides and fireworks displays or even with a dash through the snow in a onehorse-open-sleigh. There’s a rustic groom’s cabin on the property for the guys. And the fairy tale-like bridal suite is an ultraromantic cottage for two, featuring a peekaboo glass rain shower and a cozy loft bedroom nook. The morning after, start your journey as a couple by heading out on one of the many mountain trails that loop around the picturesque property (wedding packages start at $5,900 and include exclusive use of the property for the day, as well as a cocktail hour and reception at any of the onsite venues; riversidefarmweddings.com; ameefarm.com).
Photography: (from top) The Equinox, A Luxury Collectin Golf Resort & Spa; Courtesy of Chatham Bars Inn; Cronin Hill, croninhillphotography.net.
